Fire-escaped derrick



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. H. OPP.

FIRE ESCAPE, DERRICK, &c. No. 364,186. Patented May 31, 1887.

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(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. OPP.

FIRE ESCAPE, DERRICK, 820.

No. 364,186. Patented May 31, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY OPP, OF BELLEVILIEJE, ILLINOIS.

FIRE-ESCAPE, DERRICK, aw.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,186, dated May 31, 1887.

Application filed December 4, 1886. Serial No. 220,659. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY OPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Belleville, in the county of St. Clair, State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, &c.,which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a fireescape embodying my invention. Fig. 2 rep resents a rear view thereof.

Similar lettersof reference indicate corre;

' sponding parts in the two figures.

My invention consists ofnovel improvements in fireescapesembodying an extensible mast, a cage, 9. bridge and ladder connected with the cage, means for adapting the truck to inequalities of the ground, and other features, as will be hereinafter set forth, the invention being also applicable to derricks, signal-Sta tions, &c.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a truck, to whose floor is hinged a socketpiece, B.

G represents a mast, which is fitted in said socket-piece and formed in sections, whereby provision is made for lengthening or shortening the mast, as desired. The upper section of the mast has secured to it an arm, D,to which is at tached a rope, E, the latter being adapted to be wound on a drum, F, which is mounted on standards rising from the floor of the truck. Attached to said drum is a ratchet,with which engages a pawl which is pivoted to a suitable part of the truck, whereby improper unwinding of the rope E is prevented.

Fitted on the mast is a platform or cage, G, which is formed of suitable material, and has secured to it a vertically-extending sleeve, H, which freely encircles the mast, and has secured to it a rope, J, which passes over a pullcy, J, at the top of the mast, whereby the cage may be raised and lowered.

To opposite ends of the cage are pivoted a bridge, K, and a stairway or ladder, L, said bridge being formed in sections, K K which are fitted together, so that one may slide on the other, and provision is thus made for extending the bridge. 'Ropes M M are attached to the bridge in such manner that the sliding section thereof maybe moved in and out, according to requirements. Vhen the bridge is not in service, its sections may be folded and the bridge swung upwardly. The ladder may also be swung upwardly, both as shown by the dotted lines, Fig. 2.

The rope J extends from the sleeve H, passes around the pulley J, then through the cage, and around a guide-roller at the bottom of the mast, and then to a drum or Windlass, N, which is mounted on the truck A, and has a pawl and ratchet connected therewith for preventing improper unwinding'of said rope J from the drum N. A brake, P, is also provided for said drum, whereby the unwinding of the rope J, when required, may be controlled.

To thetruck are secured transversely-extending guides Q, between which are fitted slid ing arms'R, whose outer ends are formed with threaded bosses S, with which engage screw props or legs T, the latter being adapted to be raised or lowered, and thus cause the truck to be properly set on the ground when thelatter is irregular oneither side of the truck, whereby the mast may occupy a perpendicular position and overturning of the apparatus is prevented.

When the legs T are not required, the arms R are moved inwardly or folded, whereby they are out of the way, and the legs may be raised sufficiently high so as to clear the ground.

The mast is made of metal of tubular form and in sections, as has been stated. The end of each section is contracted, formingadowel, which enters the end of the adjacent section, thus firmly connecting the sections when the mast is set up.

When the apparatus is not in service, the cage and the upper and lower sections of the mast are in position. The other sections of the mast are fitted in a rack, U, which rises y from the truck.

\Vhen service of the apparatus is required, the ropes are slaekened and the mast is overturned, as it were. The cage and upper section are now removed and the other sections applied, so as to build up the mast to the required extent. The drum F is now rotated by its crank-handle, whereby the ropeE raises the mast, and the latter holds it in upright position by means of keys E, which are tightened in staples E the latter rising from the floor of the truck and passing through openings in the base part B of the socket-piece B.

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liiremen now enter the cage G, and the latter is raised by the rotation of the drum N and consequent action of the rope J, the hose, 850., if desired, being also carried up with the cage. The bridge may be operated and extended so as to reach the burning building, whereby persons in the latter may escape therefrom and reach the cage, after which they may descend by means of the ladder L;

{The cage and bridge are prevented from r0; ttitir'zln by means of guy-ropes V, suitably app 1e The bridge and ladder may be folded uprlght within the cage, in which position they are secured by bars \V and fastening-pins X, connected with the end of the cage.

I am aware that it is not new to construct fire-escapes having hinged side arms provided wlth props adjustable as to length; but I am not aware that it is common to employ sliding bars having ways secured to the body or truck of the escape, whereby the said bars may he slid under or out of the way when not needed. The advantages of the employment of sliding bars over hinged arms consists in the former forming a stronger support, being less likely to break at the connection; and, secondly, the same bar may be changed readily from one side of the truck to the other.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fireescape, the mast G, in combination with the socket-piece B, secured to the truck, the sleeve H, movable on said mast, the cage G, connected to said. sleeve, the sectional bridge K, pivoted to said cage and adapted to with the arm D, a truck with socket-piece 13,.

the'staples E and the keys E, the drum F, with pawl and ratchet, and the rope E, all of said parts being combined and arranged substantially as described.

4,. In a fire-escape, a sectional mast having a pulley on the upper section thereof, in combination with the vertical movable sleeve H, the rope J, guiderollers at the foot of the mast, the drum N,and the truck A,having thehinged socket-piece B, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A fire-escape having a truck with a sectional mast thereon and a rack attached to the truck for the unused sections of the mast, substantially as described.

6. A fire-escape having a mast and a cage 

